Why The Celtics Won’t Be Able To Sign Rondo To An Extension This Year

Here’s a portion of a recent piece I wrote for CBSBostonSports.com on Rajon Rondo’s contract situation:

According to Larry Coon’s CBA FAQ, extensions for veterans are limited for four seasons, including the years currently on the player’s contract. Therefore, since Rondo is already under contract for this season and next season, Ainge could only offer him two additional years to tack on to the end of his current deal. With Rondo likely seeking at least a four- or five-year deal in free agency, signing for an extra two right now wouldn’t make much sense for the point guard.

Additionally, there’s the issue of money. Right now, the Celtics have Rondo signed to a bargain deal compared to the rest of the NBA landscape; he’s making just under $12 million this season, far less than other top point guards on the market.

This dollar figure works against the Celtics in contract negotiations, since they are only able to offer Rondo up to 107.5 percent of his previous salary for the first year of the extension, which amounts to roughly $13.9 million dollars.

That’s a healthy offer from the Celtics, but isn’t nearly convincing enough for Rondo to accept the deal without exploring what he could receive on the open market. If he hits free agency, Rondo is eligible for a starting salary that would be above $16 million. Ainge acknowledged yesterday that Boston’s limited offer starting at $13.9 million for the extension wouldn’t be enough to satisfy Rondo for now.

Brian Robb

Brian Robb co-founded CelticsHub in 2009 and is the currently editor-in-chief. He is a producer and reporter at 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston and also contributes to Boston.com and Bleacher Report among other outlets.

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